Charlie McAvoy keeps on being an important player for the Boston Bruins.
He’s coming off a great regular season with seven goals and 52 points in just 67 games played, and during the first-round series against the Florida Panthers, McAvoy has kept on playing his game, and he’s been doing it great.
He’s getting a lot of time on the ice—he played 21:49 in Game 1, and that number has just increased since—and during Game 5 on Wednesday, he spent more than 30(!) minutes on the ice. McAvoy had two assists in the game that was tied 3-3 in regulation. McAvoy is also in the top three in hits this playoffs, and his physical presence is key if the Bruins are to make it far this year.
McAvoy always plays on the edge, and with the Panthers doing everything to get under the B’s players’ skins, his role on the team gets even more important.
READ MORE: Matthew Tkachuk bashes fans and experts following Panthers’ Game 5 win against the Bruins
But during Wednesday’s matchup, which the Bruins lost in overtime following a Matthew Tkachuk goal, many believed he crossed the line and that he was lucky to get away without a penalty call.
During the game, Sam Bennett scrambled for the puck in from of Linus Ullmark in the Bruins’ goal. Bennett tried getting his stick on the puck, and his stick may have touched Ullmark, and McAvoy reacted, and he did it aggressively.
McAvoy first slashed Bennett’s foot, and when the Panthers forward leaned down in pain, McAvoy took his hands on his head and shoved him down on the ice.
On social media, fans couldn’t believe the referees didn’t do anything about it.
”Terrible officiating there!” One said.
”NHL refs do their job challenge: Level impossible,” another said.
”Didn’t expect anything else with the way this series has gone…” a third added.
